The Girl Who Doesn't Speak

Chapter 7

The drive home was silent. I sneak a few glances at her while driving. She didn't make the effort to speak or make any eye contact with me. Instead she stares out the window throughout the ride. I thought of saying something to her, anything to end the silence. I could put the radio on, but the silence between us will still feel uncomfortable. I thought of questions I wanted to ask her. I wanted to get to know her, even if I don't ever see her again after tomorrow morning.

All I want to know is her name, even if she doesn't know what my name is.

I pull up outside the apartment. I was going to offer to help her out of the car, but she opened her side of the door and step out before I get the chance to. Before I walk to the entrance, I look up to see that the light was still on in the lounge room. How was I going to be able to sneak her inside without my parents seeing her? They wouldn't allow her to stay for the night, and if they found out I helped her escaped the hospital, I will be in trouble.

I lead her to the front door of the building. It wasn't until I get to the door that I realise I had forgotten my keys. I curse softly to myself. I went to press the button to my apartment to ask one of my parents to buzz me in, when I stop myself. They will ask what I'm doing outside of the building when I told them I was visiting Rhett.

I press Rhett's number on the intercom.

"Yes, hello?" Devon's voice comes over the intercom a few minutes later.

"Devon, it's Riley. Could you please buzz me in?"

"Sure. Just a second."

"Thanks. Is Rhett home?"

"Yes, it is."

"Great. I'm coming over."

The door buzzes and I open the door, allowing the girl go first before I slip in after her. The door to Rhett's apartment opens and he stands there.

"Riley, what are you doing?" he asks me when he sees the girl with me.

I walk over to him, telling the girl to follow and not to feel scared. I tell Rhett what happened. He then tells us to enter his place before someone spots us.

"How are you going to sneak her into your place?" Rhett asks me.

I shrug. "I don't know. I don't even want to know what they would say when they find out I helped her to escape."

Devon walks into the room from the kitchen, holding onto a mug. He greets me and then sees the girl standing beside him. He asks who she is.

I tell him how Rhett and I came across her this morning. He greets her and disappears to his room. I turn to his room. I turn to the girl, telling her to sit on the couch. She listens to me. Rhett asks her if she wants anything to drink or eat. She signals she wanted a drink. Rhett heads to the kitchen. I follow him.

"What is wrong with her?" he asks. "How come she won't speak? Is she shy?" He grabs a glass from the sink. He washes it.

I shake my head. "I don't know why. She won't tell her name or anything about her."

"So is she mute or has some kind of speech impediment?"

"Maybe. She won't tell me anything."

Rhett takes the glass and dries it with a tea towel. "Well, we definitely know she can scream, so she does have a voice box. But for some reason why she doesn't want to speak."

"What are the reasons why someone doesn't speak?"

Rhett shrugs. "I don't know. There are probably many reasons why someone chooses not to speak. Are you still seeing that your psychologist your parents made you go and see just before Christmas?"

I shake my head. "No. I stop seeing her."

"Oh. You could've ask her the reasons why someone may not talk."

"Yeah," I reply softly.

"So how are you going to sneak upstairs with her?" Rhett asks, filling up the glass with cold water.

"I don't know. If they are still up, I will have to convince them to allow her to stay for the night."

"I'm sure they will be okay with it."

"Not if they find out I helped her escape hospital."

Rhett pats my shoulder. "They will be alright with it, Riley. You worry too much. Relax. Sit down on the couch and stay for a bit before heading home."

I agree to do so, and follow Rhett back in the lounge room. The girl was sitting still on the couch, looking around the room. Rhett hands her the glass. She smiles, taking it from him and takes a sip. Rhett then heads back to the kitchen to grab some snacks.

We stay at Rhett's for an hour before I decided to head home. She follows me up the stairs. I hear the television running and knew my parents were still up. I turn to the girl to be quiet when she enters. She nods.

Quietly, I turn the knob and enter the room. Sitting on the couch was Mum. She looks my way, her eyes weary. Without her seeing my hand, I reach my arm behind me, signalling to the girl to wait.

"Hey, sweetie," Mum greets me with a smile. "I wasn't sure when you were coming home."

"Were you waiting up for me? I didn't expect you to do that."

I lied. I do expect her to wait for me. Ever since the murder, she will wait up for me, even if I'm only downstairs at Rhett's and say I would be coming home at a certain time, she stays up to make sure I am coming home. She never used to do that to Tiffany and me. Now it just seems to be a habit to make sure her last remaining child does return home safely. Or maybe she wasn't making sure I would return home safely. Maybe it was part of a grieving stage, and she wanted to believe that Tiffany is going to return home. Ten o'clock was the time she said she will be home, but it never happened. Glancing at the clock on the wall, it reads ten past ten.

She flicks off the TV and stands. "I know, but I wanted to. I was just watching something on the television and thought I would go to bed once you return home. Did you have a good time at Rhett's?"

I nod. "I did, thanks."

She smiles, and then kisses my forehead. "Goodnight, Riley. Make sure you lock the front door before you go to bed."

"I will."

I wait until Mum leaves the lounge room, and then usher her inside, quietly closing the door. I lock it behind me and lead the girl to my room.

I make sure my door is lock so none of my parents walk in unexpectedly. I didn't want them to get the wrong idea for having a girl in my room. She looks around without making any eye contact with me.

"Listen," I say. She looks at me. "I will let you sleep in here, that way you can have some privacy. I'm going to sleep on the couch."

She shakes her head. Why was she saying no? Is she trying to say I didn't need to sleep on the couch?

"No what?" I ask. "No that I'm allowing you to sleep on my bed while I take the couch?"

She nods.

I smile at her. "It's okay. I don't mind sleeping on the couch. You take the bed, okay? You are the guest."

She smiles.

"Will you be alright? Do you need to use the bathroom before you get some rest?"

She nods. I lead her to the bathroom, and wait for her outside. When she comes out, I say goodnight to her, telling her I will come get her in the morning. She gives me a shy smile and then turns back to my room, closing the door.

I walk to the lounge room, switching on a lamp and then turn off the main light in the room. I lie down on the couch, getting into a position I was comfortable in. I close my eyes, but don't fall asleep just yet. The girl wanders into my mind, wondering if I would be able to find out more about her. I want her to open up and trust me.

But first before I learn anything about whom she is and what she is running from, I just want to know her name.